UPDATE: Very, Very Sore!

Every single muscle in my body hurts...it even hurts to type this up!  No rain in the forecast this weekend in the Pacific Northwest, so it was time to get some yard work done.  Friday night found hubby and I buying two yards of compost from Bailey Compost.  This local farm began making compost from their very own dairy cows ~ love the locality of it all.  It took about an hour for us both to spread that two yards of yummy smelling compost between the four vegetable beds.  It is still really wet compost but it should be drying out now in the next few weeks (crossing my finger as I type that).

We got through the compost so fast that we decided to go get a yard of mulch from Topsoils NW ~ they have a beautiful dark black mulch that I love putting in my flower beds.  For the first time in the almost 24 years I have been married to my hubby...he even WEEDED one of the flower beds.  He was awarded by getting stuck in the face by a branch and now has a lovely cut on his face.  I have little hope of him ever weeding again...but I sure appreciated his help on this day. 

Here are some pictures of our weekend of work:

Our truck loaded with two yards of compost!

4 vegetable beds full of dark black compost.  In a few months, I hope they are filled with tons of thriving vegetables!

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It was then on to planting my broccoli, kale and cauliflower starts.  I put 11 each starts of broccoli and cauliflower.  I only planted 2 kale starts.  I will grow more kale from seed beginning in a few weeks.

UPDATE:  My broccoli, kale and cauliflower starts all died.  I am not sure what I was thinking by taking them directly from a warm cozy home with a nice bright grow light and throwing them directly into the cold, wet dirt.  OF COURSE I should have hardened them off first...complete brain freeze.  Thankfully kale will grow from seed so I will replant that outside this weekend.  I may or may not buy some broccoli or cauliflower starts...I'll think some more about it.

Next up...herbs.  I planted LOT's of basil (Genovese & Sweet...both are Ferry~Morse), Oregano (also Ferry~Morse), Rosemary (also Ferry~Morse) and Cilantro (Sabor...Botanical Interests).  I will see how the Cilantro works out...it says on the package that they do not recommend starting inside.  In a few weeks I will direct sow. 

Here is my greenhouse all set up for this year.  I have my onion starts in there.  They seem to be doing fine.  It is pretty amazing how much warmer it stays in that little space.  I hope to grow radishes and lettuces all througout the winter next year.

I started one planter of cucumbers that are meant to be grown in the greenhouse.  I will plant a second container in a week or two.  The cucumber seeds came from Territorial Seed Company and are called Organic Manny Hybrid.  Cukes have not done a thing for me in the past so I am really anxious to see how these work. (That's our yorkie, Beau, checking things out.)

Next up:  in the next week I will be direct sowing lettuce, kale, spinach, carrot, peas and radishes.  Just a week ago (last Sunday) it snowed a couple of inches ~ now it feels like spring.  I hope spring keeps winning out. 

Still under my grow light ~ 4 different tomatoes...which are growing like weeds!, a variety of herbs, a flat of miniature red peppers and my impatiens. 

Easter decorations are up and gardening has begun...yahoo!